A jockey's crop? All you horse racers out there.?

Question

I just went to a race yesterday at Arlington Race Track. The whips they use, do they hurt the horses. I mean because they were like beating the c**p out of them before the finish line. Are they like the same crops jumpers use, except they use them a lot harder? I didn't think it would hurt because the horses are too focused on running. Or all that muscle would like not make it hurt. And one other thing what is the white stuff smeared on the inside of the horses back legs? I think it is to keep the gnats out or something. Has anyone ever hear of the horse sassy short breeze? -thanks to all you jockey out there for answering and everyone else.

Answer 1

Yes, the whip does hurt the horse. In fact, penalties are imposed for improper use of the whip. Most recently Jeremy Rose was suspended for hitting a horse in the head with the whip. So, a jockey has to be careful about how he uses the whip.

The white foam you see between the horses legs is actually sweat. It is not something they put on them, it's just plain old sweat.

Answer 2

No it doesnt hurt the horse, becuase the horse is so big it doesnt really bother him that one small part of him is getting hit, hes really strong too, so it doesnt hurt bad. theyre like the same crop tht jumpers use except shorter. never heard of sassy short breeze and i think the white stuff is to keep the tail from hurting the horse while hes running becuase the tail like whips around and stuff, if thts not it its for the bugs.  

Answer 3

I am around racing everyday. we have some of the best runners in Illinois. people tellin you it dont hurt the horse is full of it. it still stings the horses butt. if it didnt,y would they go faster and there would be any welps. there is regulations for pin heads. they cannot strike in front of the shoulder. and the whip is different from the english horse person. it is constructed of heavier leather and fiberglass. if u have any more questions u can contact me [e-mail]

Answer 4

The wite stuff is foam, from sweating is all. Same kind of crop. A horse has a VERY thick hide...they really don't feel it as much as you think they do.

Answer 5

Crops don't hurt the horse.  It's a reminder to run hard.  It doesn't cut or leave welts or anything.  The horse's hide and fur is too thick and strong for the whip to hurt them.  I use a crop when I ride and sometimes I have to hit them pretty hard with it... it doesn't hurt.

The white stuffisn't smeared on the inside of the legs.  It's sweat.  The horses are hot... it's summertime, and they're exercising, so they sweat.  Between the hind legs is where they tend to sweat first.  They develop a lot of that white foam between their legs and you've probably seen them get a lot of that white foam on their neck too... where the rein rubs on their neck often makes their sweat foam up a lot too.

Edit:  To specify my answer, I wanted to add... used properly, the whip doesn't hurt the horse... of course they can feel it and it does sting... there would be no point to the whip if it didn't momentarily hurt them a bit.  But they're not going to come away with welts and bruises... it's not permanently injuring the horse.  However, used improperly, it can hurt the horse.  There are regulations on the jockeys for what they should and should not do with the whip.  Jockeys pretty much have to whip their horse... if they don't push their horse, they're called before the board to explain themselves (for fear of fixed races... jockeys pulling back their horses to let a longshot win so the gangsters make money).  But they're also not supposed to abusively whip a horse who is in no position to win... if you're 30 lengths back and losing ground, stop whipping.  You're also not allowed to whip other horses.  You're not allowed to have anything extra on your whip... it's just a piece of leather at the end... no metal, no shocking devices.  You're not supposed to whip your horse in the face... on the shoulder or behind the saddle is normal.  Angel Cordero was riding against Genuine Risk in the 1980 Preakness and used his whip to hit the filly in the eye so she would slow down... it worked... the video was too fuzzy for him to be suspended, but she had a huge welt over her eye the next morning.  So yes, a whip can hurt a horse, but the way jockeys are supposed to use it, it doesn't.